Degradable Perforating Gun Internal Support System
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Solution Overview
Problem
In hydrocarbon well operations, perforating guns often obstruct production flow after use, requiring additional time and expense to drill a 'rat hole' for disposal, and existing solutions fail to efficiently convert the gun into a production conduit.
Innovation Solution
A dual-purpose perforating gun with a dissolvable internal support system that degrades after use, allowing the tubular carrier to serve as production tubing, utilizing a break-up treatment fluid to dissolve the deformed components and enable fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a perforating gun is installed in conjunction with completions hardware, then well control is maintained and perforating can be performed, but the gun obstructs production flow after use
Solution Approach 1:
The gun is divided into two functional segments: a permanent tubular carrier that remains in place to maintain well control and provide structural support, and a temporary internal support system that degrades after use. This segmentation allows the gun to fulfill its perforating function while eliminating the obstruction problem for production flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal support system components are designed to be discarded after serving their temporary purpose of supporting the explosive charges during perforating. These components degrade and dissolve, allowing the tubular carrier to be recovered and reused as production tubing, thus converting a waste product into a valuable asset.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a rat hole is drilled to receive the gun after perforating, then the gun is removed from the production path, but additional drilling time and expense are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The problematic internal support system components are extracted and removed from the permanent structure through degradation and dissolution. This leaves only the essential tubular carrier in place, eliminating the need to drill a rat hole for disposal while maintaining well control and enabling production.
3Productivity
If the internal support system degrades completely, then fluid flow is enabled, but the gun loses structural integrity during perforating
Solution Approach 1:
The internal support system exhibits dynamic properties, transitioning from a strong, intact structure during perforating to a degrading, dissolving structure afterward. This dynamic behavior allows the system to provide structural integrity when needed and enable fluid flow when no longer needed, adapting to the changing requirements of the well operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The internal support system undergoes parameter changes in its material properties over time. It maintains high strength and structural integrity during the perforating operation, then progressively degrades and dissolves to enable fluid flow. This controlled parameter change resolves the contradiction between maintaining strength and enabling flow.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution minimizes the need for a lengthy 'rat hole' and allows the perforating gun to remain in place as a structural conduit for fluid flow, reducing drilling time and expense while maintaining efficient production, and enabling selective zonal control.
Implementation Method 1
A break-up treatment fluid within the well may then be used to degrade remaining deformed components of the system and leave the carrier device substantially free of such components
Data Source
AI summary
A perforating gun technique. The technique includes perforating with the gun in a manner that deforms internal support structure thereof. Thus, follow-on treatment with a breakup fluid tailored to the material of the support structure may be utilized to dissolve the structure. The carrier of the gun which houses the structure may then be utilized as a conduit for fluid flow.